Barely 48 hours after a free-for-all ensued at the National Assembly, following the visit of the splinter Peoples Democratic Party, indications emerged last night that the Presidency was jittery over the implications of the lawmakers’ action.
Sources close to the Presidency hinted that its strategists were worried that the lawmakers could easily effect a change in the leadership of the national legislature and get at President Goodluck Jonathan.
One source, who spoke in confidence, said that Jonathan and his advisers were not taking the development in the National Assembly lightly and had, therefore, mobilised for the support of most members.
The source said that the President had been shown intelligence report indicating that most of the members could support impeachment move against him once the leadership of the Assembly was changed.
It was learnt that the Presidency and it minders were more worried about the leadership of the House of Representatives, which appears to harbour more ‘opposition’ members than the Senate.
According to informed sources, the Presidency was more perturbed about the emergence of the Abubakar Baraje-led PDP from the mainstream PDP, whose members seem to enjoy a good rapport with the opposition members of APC in House of Assembly.
The source said: “What happened yesterday (Tuesday) on the floor of the House of Representatives, when the leadership, led by the Speaker, allowed the splinter PDP a free reign to address the House, is an indication that the rebel group is aligning with the opposition to work against the President and the leadership of PDP.
“If this is not checked immediately, they can wake up one morning and move against the President.”
Senator Emordi meets Jonathan
Apparently to ward off the looming face-off between the lawmakers and Presidency, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi, met with Jonathan for about an hour, yesterday, during which the matter was tabled and some decisions reached on how to tackle it.
The Senator did not brief journalists after meeting.
It was gathered that the Presidency had been split on what to do to put its house in order and win more support for the impending political fight.
One group within the Presidency is rooting for the removal of the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe and his replacement with media mogul, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who has already been recruited by the Presidency to woo some dissenting northern political leaders for President Jonathan’s re-election.
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